Hank Conger has only thrown out 1 baserunner this year...

[KevinJ14]

Out of 42 tries.

 

http://m.mlb.com/player/474233/hank-conger

 

[QuinlansMinion]

Dipoto sure ripped a lot of teams off

[ABC]

incl the Angels.

[Second Base]

Carlos Perez is better than Hank Conger. So is Nick Tropeano. It will quietly become Dipoto's best move as GM. Tropeano will be a mid/back end starter for years to come and Perez should be a platoon mate for several years.

[Glen]

Carlos Perez is better than Hank Conger. So is Nick Tropeano. It will quietly become Dipoto's best move as GM. Tropeano will be a mid/back end starter for years to come and Perez should be a platoon mate for several years.

I liked Conger and didn't want to see him go but even back them I liked the trade. We essentially got a better catcher than Conger plus a solid SP. It was a swindle for us.

[Guest]

I still wonder if the Astros got fleeced or if they just have too many good prospects. I think it's both

Edited September 30, 2015 by failos

[Lou]

I still wonder if the Astros got fleeced or if they just have too many good prospects. I think it's both

if you have too many good prospects, you include them in a package and trade for a guy like Hamels. You don't trade 2 of them for a worse prospect like Conger

Edited September 30, 2015 by Lou

[laagamer]

Mentioned this in the GTD awhile back.

 

****ing terrible. 

[Glen]

I still wonder if the Astros got fleeced or if they just have too many good prospects. I think it's both

"Let's dump some of these prospects, we have so damn many of them!" said no GM ever.

[Stradling]

Yes but that one throw was a really nice throw.

[Second Base]

I liked Conger and didn't want to see him go but even back them I liked the trade. We essentially got a better catcher than Conger plus a solid SP. It was a swindle for us.

The big thing with Houston is they really buy into obscure defensive metrics and ones that are also becoming better understood like pitch framing. Conger is supposed to be pretty good at pitch framing. He also comes with considerable offensive upside.

But then reality strikes. Fact is, Hank's arm was never better than below average, both in strength and accuracy. His footwork so reheat lagged despite his athleticism. And as for his bat, I kind of feel like if he were going to make good on the upside, it would've occurred by now.

The Astros were fine with sending Perez. He didn't figure into their catching situation, and perfectly for the bill of a backup C (strong defensive) which is what we were looking for. They were reluctant to add in Tropeano, but again, they had pitching prospects with more upside like McCullers, Kuechel and Appel.

Just really glad to have them both.

[ettin]

I still wonder if the Astros got fleeced or if they just have too many good prospects. I think it's both

The Astros were facing a Rule 5 crunch heading into that offseason so moving some prospects was a likely outcome no matter if they trade with us or with another team.

Clearly they valued Conger's pitch framing over his catch and throw and Jerry was able to fleece them for a starter and catcher both with upside which they are beginning to realize.

Dipoto prioritized controlling the counts and Tropeano is a control type of pitcher with a potentially killer changeup which should bring him success against both sides of the plate. Perez clearly knows how to call a good game and his catch and throw ability is solid.

I'll speak more about the two of them in my upcoming Offseason Primer series.

[Streetkid]

How many have our catchers thrown out?

[ABC]

Out of 42 tries.

 

http://m.mlb.com/player/474233/hank-conger

 

crazy stat.

 

I really wanted him to work out for the Halos but JD fleeced the Astros. JD out-money-balled them.

[Tank]

that's only one more than i've thrown out this year.

[DMVol]

How many have our catchers thrown out?

Ianetta: 25%

Perez: 39%

[Link]

The big thing with Houston is they really buy into obscure defensive metrics and ones that are also becoming better understood like pitch framing. Conger is supposed to be pretty good at pitch framing. He also comes with considerable offensive upside.

But then reality strikes. Fact is, Hank's arm was never better than below average, both in strength and accuracy. His footwork so reheat lagged despite his athleticism. And as for his bat, I kind of feel like if he were going to make good on the upside, it would've occurred by now.

The Astros were fine with sending Perez. He didn't figure into their catching situation, and perfectly for the bill of a backup C (strong defensive) which is what we were looking for. They were reluctant to add in Tropeano, but again, they had pitching prospects with more upside like McCullers, Kuechel and Appel.

Just really glad to have them both.

 

Is his arm strength really below average?  Honest question, not trying to be rude.

 

I grew up near him and went to the same high school (graduated a year behind him) so I saw him play a lot.  As a kid he had an absolute cannon for an arm and even in high school (if I remember correctly) he pitched a lot because he simply threw harder than anyone on the team.  I recall friends saying he could hit 90 in high school, though that was hearsay so it could be completely wrong.  Is the skill in the MLB so high that a catcher that can throw 90 off the mound still has below average arm strength or has he lost velocity somewhere along the way?  

[Chuck]

Yes but that one throw was a really nice throw.

 

lol

[Ray McKigney]

Reminds me of the Meatloaf song One Out of Forty-Two Ain't Bad.

[Second Base]

Is his arm strength really below average? Honest question, not trying to be rude.

I grew up near him and went to the same high school (graduated a year behind him) so I saw him play a lot. As a kid he had an absolute cannon for an arm and even in high school (if I remember correctly) he pitched a lot because he simply threw harder than anyone on the team. I recall friends saying he could hit 90 in high school, though that was hearsay so it could be completely wrong. Is the skill in the MLB so high that a catcher that can throw 90 off the mound still has below average arm strength or has he lost velocity somewhere along the way?

I think the best way I could scaffold this would be to say that Trout was hitting 90 off the mound in high school and his scouting report as prep indicated he had a decent arm. In the minors this was downgraded to adequate. Mike's arm strength has improved since coming to the majors to where it's above average.

Most of the catchers that are drafted, don't make it to the majors, and ones that do, don't make it to the majors as catchers. They usually end up switching positions. The ones that catch the whole way through all typically have very strong arms, and if they don't it likely means they have so much bat, teams will overlook it.

So a cannon in high school doesn't always translate.

Edited September 30, 2015 by ScottyA_MWAH